The Queen starring Helen Mirren

Accurate, we'll never know. But it's more truthful than The Crown or any other depiction. Because Mirren is a wonder of subtle emotion and depth. She doesn't admire the queen at all in real life. Her performance is searching and a truthful exploration. I see this film put down on Datalounge often. It may not be exciting, but it is great. There must have been some terrible Streep performance nominated opposite Mirren? Meryl ain't fit to fasten Helen's necklace.

[quote] There must have been some terrible Streep performance nominated opposite Mirren?

?

You understand me old bitch man R2. I don't follow the Academy Awards like the ancient queers do. But Meryl fans seem to dislike Mirren. So what's your fucking question mark for old fool @ R2?

You dumb bitch, r2. I broke down and googled. Sure nuff - there's that deplorable HAM Meryl Streep nominated in A f@gs favorite film - The Devil Wears Prada. Gross.

Helen had stiff competition, but not from Streep. Ugh.

Love the film. So sick of the bs pushed that the queen was some sort of monster for not running out of the palace wailing and tearing her hair out when Diana kicked it.

Mirren is excellent in this film. She played the queen to perfection.

In 2013, I went to London to see Mirren play the Queen onstage in "The Audience".

When I sat down, behind me, I heard this booming voice of an asshole who obviously wanted everyone to know he was there and that he was hot shit (in his mind). Turns out it was Harvey Weinstein.

After the performance, people waited for Mirren to come out. Someone from the theatre said she would sign programs. You had to give them to him and he would bring them back signed. And I got her signature (funny enough, someone didn't have a program but instead gave her... a movie ticket for the Madagascar movie LOL Of course she didn't sign it).

She eventually came out of the theatre... accompanied by Weinstein and whisked her off in his taxi.

Somehow that image just takes the bloom off her and the performance.

Yeah right. Dame Helen off to go blow Harvey because she's a Harvey gal. Doubtful.

After winning the Oscar for the role, Mirren was invited to tea with the Queen which must have been ridiculously awkward for both.

She didn’t go, R8.

Mirren is not a monarchist.

R9 Yes she did.

R1 Mirren said many times how researching the movie caused her a lot of admiration for The Queen, a lot she hadn't realised about her before. Her Oscar acceptance speech is a love letter to Elizabeth.

Mirren wasn't invited to tea with HM. It was a large dinner with numerous other guests. Mirren said she really regretted not being able to go but was filming National Treasure in the US.

She may not have been a Harvey gal but she certainly looked very cozy and friendly with him. If people are going to say "Streep knew", well, I'm sure Mirren knew too and looked the other way.

I never even met the man but he just oozed sleaziness from sitting in front of him. To actually know and work with him...

She did go to tea with the Queen and Philip and some guest of theirs at Sandringham and said everyone there was lovely and gracious.

Her acceptance speech was an appreciation for the queen and her dutiful nature. Helen Mirren is NOT a monarchist. Quite the contrary.

But just as one gets in a car with Harvey Weinstein, at a certain point in life, people are sometimes more quiet in their disapproval. Less resistant and more gracious. They want the awards and the pretty dresses and an invitation to other good parts. Streep most certainly knew and pretended otherwise. Then made grand speeches about how "shocked" and outraged she was. Helen probably knew about Weinstein and didn't give a fuck. She's a grown ass woman.

Mirren was a tits-n-ass actress before she aged into being the Grande Dame

Thank you for the correction, r11. I remember her turning it down, even saying in an interview that she didn’t see herself doing it. There was a furor and then she claimed there was a shooting conflict.

So I see she eventually did sit down with the queen.

Does the Royal Family get a cut of the profits for all these movies and shows? Do they own the rights to their own lives?

Glenn Close said she had heard about Weinstein but didn't have the power to do anything about it. So I'm guessing if G knew M knew as did Helen.

@r18, Good question, I would guess they do, but choose not to sue so as not to bring more attention to the situation. I think "The Queen" was respectful enough while being an honest portrayal and can't see where there would be any cause to sue. Great movie especially for non-Brits who probably had little or no exposure to the BRF

Harvey Weinstein's foul reputation was the worst kept "secret" in Hollywood. I mean, we've been discussing it on DL for the last 20 years and I certainly was aware of it long before DL had started so yeah, Meryl and Glenn and Helen and every other breathing actor in the entertainment business was very much aware of Uncle Harvey's rushin' hands and roamin' fingers.

[quote] we've been discussing it on DL for the last 20 years

I wish some punctilious Datalounger would actually go and retrieve some of these full discussions.

Documentation is referable to human memories.

EVERYBODY knew R13.

There's a scene in the movie where someone is begging the Queen to make some kind of public speech regarding Diana and she reluctantly agrees. Then she turns and there's some servant setting out food and she goes, "TEA!". It makes her look like the most spoiled, shallow little baby.

I believe it was more or less accurate yes. It would never happen but I would absolutely love to see a movie about the real Diana, it would be insanely entertaining. Seeing her feuding with Elton, pushing her stepmom down steps, throwing herself down steps, and stalking all of her fuck buddies wives would be extraordinarily campy and fun. But her fans are too devoted to the image of Pure and Virginal Di to ever allow it.

R25 don’t worry bruv, we’s work’n on it!

I think it was more or less accurate apart from the artistic licence (with the crying scene, stag hunt). There is also no way HM would have thought she was so out of touch she should step down, that was a silly scene.

The Queen probably responded positively to it as it said all she could never explain.

The media went wild on HM in 1997 after Diana died because she wouldn't speed down to London to lead to mourning circus in that week instead of staying with her grandsons and protecting them. Nuts. Glad the public have come to realise she did the right thing.

If I remember right, Prince Philip didn't come off too well in that movie. He always gave her terrible advice, which she was smart enough to ignore. Also, he was arrogant and a snob. But the "small private funeral" for Diana was his idea.

R28 and now they are together again!

I saw her in The Audience on Broadway. One of my favorite performances. She does a transformation to her younger self that was sublime. I'd only ever seen something like it once before, done by Jessica Tandy, also on Broadway. Just stunning.

The guy who played Prince Philip I always think of as "Harv", Almanzo's friend and Miss Wilder's crush on Little House on the Prairie. It seems he's done quite well for himself since the Little House days.

R30 how did they do that?! Amazing

I loved this movie, though watching it years later, I get why the Queen was dismissive and annoyed with Tony Blair. And Philip does come off badly, but not unlike She Who Cannot Be Named, Diana had make the Queen's life extremely difficult and Philip was reacting as a proactive husband, rather than seeing The Big Picture about what Diana meant (to people who didn't really know her).

The thing that struck me about the movie was how the Queen felt so hemmed in by accusations about extravagance & therefore was such a cheapskate. I mean you're THE QUEEN, for god's sake, and you're worried about what people think if you take a private jet. The brits seem to love to give the BRF a hard time, but it can't be easy to live under those kind of restraints - be glamorous but we're going to jump all over you if you're too glamorous!

The old bag who played the Queen Mum was too fat!

I loved the salty old Queen Mother, sipping her gin & tonics at all hours of the day & giving side eye to Charles. Liz must really miss her!

The actress did not convey the Queen Mother's personality. And neither has the actress playing her in "The Crown."

The actress who played the Queen Mother in The Queen was Sylvia Syms. She was far too coarse and uhhh...Jewish. Patricia Routledge turned it down. I hope she can be convinced to do Season 5 of The Crown. Maybe if they give her a good deathbed scene?

It was so long ago (2009-2008?) I don't remember.